Why McKinsey Greater China

Reach and Impact

Big enough to make a difference, but different enough not to feel big

The opportunities we offer are inspiring because of what we do and who we touch. As a global consulting firm with more than 100 offices in over 60 countries, we’re working with and shaping the direction of a range of companies from 90 of the world’s top 100 corporations; to many innovative, next-generation successes who turn to us for ideas and direction in their exciting, high-growth stage. McKinsey also is proud to work for dozens of preeminent NGOs and foundations, and more than 90 governments.

Amazing backgrounds

Our remarkable people are hired from the places you’d expect and those you wouldn’t; they include musicians, authors, athletes, entrepreneurs, surgeons, lawyers, PhDs, engineers, and military veterans.

Teams making a difference

Inside McKinsey, we operate in small, collaborative teams, which usually include members of the client organizations. From day one you’ll build relationships with a supportive group with sharp analytical minds, a strong value system, a mission to make a difference, and a keen sense of fun.

People who are interested in you and your career

Because we’re not rigidly structured, you’ll have the opportunity to make your own McKinsey at McKinsey. In other words, we encourage our people to carve their own paths, and we support them as they pursue their passions.

What we look for

We’re looking for people who have an unusual blend of passion, dedication, and energy. They are creative and insightful problem solvers, they enjoy working in teams, they have an entrepreneurial spirit, and they are interesting people beyond the office. We’re searching for people with high aspirations, driving them to excel at McKinsey and beyond, if they choose to go elsewhere, as more than 300 current CEOs of companies worth over $1 billion have. Our alumni network is strong and supportive.

Five areas of focus

These five areas of talent and character that are at the heart of what we seek in people.

Personal impact

People skills more than matter, they are essential. Without them, great ideas languish, lacking internal support and momentum. Our teams build relationships with clients quickly and become trusted advisers by inspiring broad support inside the client organization. When conflicting points of view arise–and they always do–using strong communication skills and effectively working with colleagues and clients inside the team room helps to overcome temporary obstacles.

Entrepreneurial drive

We want McKinsey to always remain a place where entrepreneurs who are innovative by nature, and always searching for ways to create new approaches, products services, and technologies can find a home and feel at home. It’s a value that distinguishes us.

So we look for people with the potential to become entrepreneurs within McKinsey building new service lines, pioneering new geographies, innovating aspects of our firm.

Many of our internal entrepreneurs eventually apply their experience and the learning they gain to new ventures of their own.

Problem-solving skills

These skills are absolutely critical. McKinsey is brought in to help our clients solve their toughest and most urgent challenges. Are you someone who can think both conceptually and practically? Do people say that you think differently about things? Do you like to create a challenging problem? Then we should talk.

An orientation around achievement

To help our clients achieve great things we look for people with a track record of achieving great things themselves. We value the drive and fortitude to get things done and know it translates into client impact and the continual innovation of our institution.

Leadership abilities

Leadership the ability to take people forward and act as a catalyst for productive teamwork is essential and common to those who succeed here. But we recognize that different people lead in different ways; we appreciate the diversity of gifts that make some people capable of inspiring others to rally behind them. That’s how we help create positive change within client organizations and our own. Some say we are a leadership factory based on the CEOs, entrepreneurs, politicians, and social-change agents we develop.

If you are currently an undergraduate or Master’s degree student, or have recently graduated with such a degree, you will be considered for a Business Analyst position.

If you are currently an MBA candidate, or have recently graduated from business school, you will be considered for an Associate position.

If you are pursuing an advanced professional degree (e.g. PhD, JD, MD, etc), you will either be considered for an Associate or a Junior Associate position. The position you assume upon joining the firm will be decided at the offer stage.

If you are an experienced professional currently working for another firm, your potential role at McKinsey will be considered on an individual basis, depending on your experience and professional accomplishments.

No – as one firm, we have a centralized application process. You will need to specify on your online application which offices you are interested in. You are able to specify up to 4 offices, and you should do so in order of preference. Applicants are only eligible to interview with one office worldwide. Depending on the status of your application, you will be contacted by a member of one of the recruiting teams to discuss the options available to you.

While a keen interest in business is critical, a business degree is not. Our consultants have degrees in many fields, including liberal arts and sciences. In fact, the majority of consultants have degrees outside of the fields of business or economics.

There is no absolute cutoff for GPA. Academic performance alone does not determine your success as a candidate. There are five areas of talent and character that are at the heart of what we seek in people: personal impact, entrepreneurial drive, problem-solving skills, and an orientation toward achievement and leadership. We seek to build a holistic picture of each applicant before we make a decision, taking work and life experience into account.

There is no typical week at McKinsey. Your weekly hours will vary according to the engagement you are involved in and teams normally discuss working patterns at the start of an engagement to take into account individual needs and manage ‘crunches’.

All generalist consultants in the Greater China Office are in one staffing pool. Given the diversity of clients we serve, many of our engagements take place ‘out of town’ and in such cases, consultants typically fly out on Sunday night and come back to spend Friday in their home office. By working on site with our clients, we can do a much better job of understanding their situation.

How to apply

To learn more about how to apply to McKinsey, please visit our firm careers site here To ensure your application gets to us here in Greater China, please indicate your preference for one of our four locations: Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, or Taipei.

For more information about career opportunities at McKinsey Greater China, or to find out about upcoming recruiting events, please contact us at: gc_recruiting@mckinsey.com

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